Wire winding device with turning wheel

ABSTRACT

A wire winding device with a turning wheel comprises a line storage turning wheel having at least one wheel surface; a center hole of the turning wheel being movably connected to a axial portion; a curled reed having a bottom end being connected to the axial portion; an outer end thereof being connected to the line storage turning wheel; a communication wire buckled to the line storage turning wheel and thus divided into an upper wire and a lower wire; the upper wire and lower wire winding around the at least one wheel surface; at least one sliding groove formed in a lateral wall of the line storage turning wheel along a periphery of the central hole of the turning wheel; and at least one rolling ball being rollably received in the sliding grooves and the rolling balls being buckled and positioning in the sliding grooves and is limited by the axial portion.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to wire winding devices, and particular to a wire winding device with a turning wheel, wherein the turning wheel can rotate stably as a torque is applied and baking action can be positioned steadily. Furthermore, the braking action is performed in a shortest time so as to reduce the length of the wire in receiving and releasing the wire and thus, the wire can be positioned precisely.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

One example of a prior art wire receiving boxes for receiving a communication wire is disclosed by in U.S. Pat. No. 6,434,249 B1, “EAR PHONE WIRE WINDING DEVICE WITH COAXIAL AND DUAL WHEELS” (which is also patented by Taiwan, Taiwan Patent Publication No. 509447), which is assigned to the inventor of the present invention. The wire receiving box comprises an upper wire and a lower wire is an earphone wind winding box with coaxial double wheels. In that, a single turning wheel with a larger line storage wheel surface and a small line storage wheel surface is movably connected to a single axial portion. Thereby, when the turning wheel rotates, the upper wire and lower wire on the larger and small line storage wheel surfaces can be released or received to the wheel surfaces. An elastic actuated brake is movably connected to one lateral side of a larger turning wheel so that when the communication wire is pulled out (or received), it can be positioned (braked).

However, the prior art brake is used with a small spring for positioning so as to increase the cost in manufacturing and installation, especially, the spring is easily fatigued as it is used for a longer time.

With reference to FIGS. 11 and 12, another prior art is illustrated. It is illustrated that a turning wheel A has a left wheel surface A1 and a right wheel surface A2 with an equal diameter. A lateral surface of the turning wheel A is formed with a continuous annular recess A3. The turning wheel 10 may be movably connected to a retaining axial portion B. A continuous communication wire C winds around a left wheel surface A1 and a right wheel surface A2 along different directions so as to form an upper wire C1 and a lower wire C2. When the upper wire C1 and lower wire C2 are pulled out or received, the generating twisting force will cause the turning wheel A to rotate clockwise or counterclockwise. The pull lengths or the receiving lengths of the upper wire and lower wire are equal. In positioning the turning wheel A, a ball D is buckled in a positioning groove A4 of the annular recess A3.

The defect of this prior art in braking is that only one ball D being used in the annular recess A3. The torque is concentrated at one lateral surface of the turning wheel A. Thereby, the stability of the turning wheel A and barking (reliability) is not good. Further, each time the turning wheel A is braked, no matter what position the ball D is placed, the ball must return to the positioning groove A4 for braking.

Thereby, there is an eager demand for a novel design which can overcome the problem of the instability of the turning wheel A and barking.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the object of the present invention is to provide a wire winding device with a turning wheel, wherein the turning wheel can rotate stably as a torque is applied and baking action can be positioned steadily.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a wire winding device with a turning wheel, wherein the braking action is performed in a shortest time so as to reduce the length of the wire in receiving and releasing and thus, the wire can be positioned precisely.

To achieve above object, the present invention provide A wire winding device with a turning wheel comprises a line storage turning wheel having at least one wheel surface; a center hole of the turning wheel being movably connected to a axial portion; a curled reed having a bottom end being connected to the axial portion; an outer end thereof being connected to the line storage turning wheel; a communication wire buckled to the line storage turning wheel and thus divided into an upper wire and a lower wire; the upper wire and lower wire winding around the at least one wheel surface; at least one sliding groove formed in a lateral wall of the line storage turning wheel along a periphery of the central hole of the turning wheel; and at least one rolling ball being rollably received in the sliding grooves and the rolling balls being buckled and positioning in the sliding grooves and is limited by the axial portion.

The various objects and advantages of the present invention will be more readily understood from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the appended drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing that the upper wire and lower wire being released according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic cross view showing that the upper wire and lower wire of the present invention are braked.

FIG. 5 is a schematic cross view showing that the upper wire and lower wire are received.

FIG. 6 is a rear plane view showing that the upper wire and lower wire are received.

FIG. 7 is a lateral schematic view showing that the outer diameters of the left wheel surface and right wheel surface are not equal.

FIG. 8. is a lateral schematic view showing that the outer diameters of the left wheel surface and right wheel surface are equal.

FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a cross section view of another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view of a prior art wire winding device.

FIG. 12 is a schematic cross view of the prior art wire winding device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In order that those skilled in the art can further understand the present invention, a description will be described in the following in details. However, these descriptions and the appended drawings are only used to cause those skilled in the art to understand the objects, features, and characteristics of the present invention, but not to be used to confine the scope and spirit of the present invention defined in the appended claims.

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the wire winding device with a turning wheel of the present invention is illustrated.

A line storage turning wheel 10 has a left wheel surface 11 and a right wheel surface 13. A center hole 12 of the turning wheel 10 is movably connected to a axial portion 30. In the present invention, the numbers of the left wheel surface 11 and rotary wheel surface 13 are changeable as desired.

A curled reed 80 has a bottom end 81 connected to the axial portion 30. An outer end 82 thereof is connected to the line storage turning wheel 10. A communication wire S is buckled to the line storage turning wheel 10 and thus is divided into an upper wire S3 and a lower wire S4. The upper wire S3 and lower wire S4 wind around the right wheel surface 13 and the left wheel surface 11, respectively, along opposite directions.

A lateral wall, of the line storage turning wheel 10 is formed with at least one sliding groove 15 along a periphery of the central hole 12 thereof. In the drawing, three sliding grooves 15 are illustrated.

At least one rolling balls 20 are rollably received in the sliding grooves 15 and then the rolling balls 20 are buckled and positioning in the sliding grooves 15 with is limited by the axial portion 30.

With reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, an end portion of the sliding groove 15 of the line storage turning wheel 10 has a limiting space 151. An inner diameter of each limiting space 151 is smaller than an outer diameter of the rolling ball 20. When the rolling ball 20 rolls to the limiting space 151, a surface of the rolling ball 20 is buckled to a surface of an upper groove wall 152 of the limiting space 151 and a surface of the axial portion 30 so as to be as a brake. Thereby, the line storage turning wheel 10 is stopped. Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, each sliding groove 15 of the line storage turning wheel 10 has a movable space 153, The outer diameter of each rolling ball 20 is smaller than an inner diameter of the movable- space 153. Thereby, the rolling ball 20 is movable in the movable space 153. A axial portion 30 of the line storage turning wheel 10 is rotatable along the axial portion 30.

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the axial portion 30 is protruded from an inner wall of the right casing 40. A left casing 50 has a connecting hole 52 for receiving the axial portion 30 so as to combine the right casing 40 and the left casing 50. The right casing 40 is protruded with a pin 54 and the left casing 50 has an insertion hole 44. With reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, the lateral sides of the left casing 50 and right casing 40 are formed with respective positioning grooves 60.

With reference to FIG. 1, an end portion of each of the upper wire S3 and lower wire S4 is connected with a respective electric element 70. The electric element 70 may be one of an earphone, a microphone, a plug, a receptacle, and a circuit board.

With reference to FIGS. 7 and 8, the left wheel surface 11 and right wheel surface 13 of the line storage turning wheel 10 may have the same or different outer diameters D, d.

With reference to FIG. 1 and 2, each of the left wheel surface 11 and the right wheel surface 13 of the line storage turning wheel 10 can be protruded with a respective annular sheet 19 for confining the positions of the upper wire S3 and lower wire S4. With reference to FIGS. 9 and 10, another preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated.

A line storage turning wheel 10 has a main wheel surface 14. A central hole l of the line storage turning wheel 10 is movably received with a axial portion 30.

A curled reed 80 has a bottom end 81 connected to the axial portion 30. An outer end 82 thereof is connected to the line storage turning wheel 10.

A communication wire S is buckled to the line storage turning wheel 10 and thus is divided into an upper wire S3 and a lower wire S4. One ends of the upper wire S3 and lower wire S4 winds around the main wheel surface 14 alternatively.

A lateral wall of the line storage turning wheel 10 is formed with at least one sliding groove 15 along a periphery of the central hole 12 thereof. In the drawing, three sliding grooves 15 are illustrated.

At least one rolling ball 20 is rollably received in the sliding grooves 15. In this example, there are three rolling balls 20 are illustrated, but it dose not confine the scope of the present invention. The rolling balls 20 are buckled and positioning in the sliding grooves 15 and is limited by the axial portion 30.

Application of the present invention will be described herein.

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the curled reed 80 is embedded into a receiving groove 16 at one lateral wall of the line storage turning wheel 10. The outer end 82 of the curled reed 80 is buckled to the line storage turning wheel 10 and the bottom end 81 thereof is buckled to a buckling groove 31 of the axial portion 30 so that when a twisting force is applied to the line storage turning wheel 10, it is formed as an elastic element. The communication wire S has a portion being located in an annular groove 101 of the line storage turning wheel 10. One end of the communication wire S protrudes from a through hole 17 of the line storage turning wheel 10. Another end thereof protrudes from another through hole 18 of the line storage turning wheel 10 for forming the upper wire S3 and the lower wire S4. The upper wire S3 winds around the right wheel surface 13 and the lower wire S4 winds around the left wheel surface 11.

With reference to FIG. 3, an application about the release of the upper wire S3 and lower wire S4 is illustrated. When the upper wire S3 and the lower wire S4 are pulled out, a twisting force is generated to rotate the line storage turning wheel 10. The axial portion 30 of the line storage turning wheel 10 rotates around an axial center of the axial portion 30. At this moment, the rolling balls 20 exactly roll in the movable space 153. At this moment, the outer diameters of the rolling balls 20 ate smaller than the inner diameter of the movable space 153. Therefore, the rolling balls 20 rolls in the movable space 153 so that the rolling balls 20 are acted as a bearing. Thus, the line storage turning wheel 10 rotates smoothly and stably.

With reference to FIG. 4, it is illustrated that the upper wire S3 and lower wire S4 are barked. When the upper wire S3 and lower wire S4 are pulled to a predetermined length, the pull force is stopped for a while, and then the wires are released. The line storage turning wheel 10 will rotate oppositely so that the rolling balls 20 rolls to the limiting space 151. As a result, the surfaces of the rolling balls 20 are buckled in the surface of the upper wall 152 of the limiting space 151 and the surface of the axial portion 30. Then the upper wire S3 and lower wire S4 are stopped rapidly. The shorter the sliding groove 15, the shorter the moving length that the rolling balls 20 rolls in the movable space 153,. Thereby, in a very short time period, the line storage turning wheel 10 is stopped in a very short time period. Thereby, only passing through a short traveling length, the upper wire S3 and lower wire S4 can be braked so as to be controlled precisely.

With reference to FIG. 5, an application about the receiving of the upper wire S3 and lower wire S4 is illustrated. The user can release the pulled upper wire S3 and lower wire S4 slowly. By the rewinding force of the curled reed 80, the upper wire S3 and lower wire S4 can be received. In this period, the rolling balls 20 rolls in the movable space 153 until they are received completely, At this time, the rolling balls 20 are placed in the movable space 153. When the wires are received, the electric elements 70 connected the ends of the upper wire S3 and lower wire S4 can be positioned in the opening of the positioning groove 60, as shown in FIG. 6.

With reference to FIG. 7, since the outer diameter d of the left wheel surface 11 of the line storage turning wheel 10 is smaller than the outer diameter D of the right wheel surface 13, when the line storage turning wheel 10 rotates due to a twisting force, the releasing (or receiving length) of the lower wire S4 on the left wheel surface 11 is shorter than that of the upper wire S3 on the right wheel surface 13.

With reference to FIG. 8, the outer diameter d of the left wheel surface 11 of the line storage turning wheel 10 is equal to the outer diameter D of the right wheel surface 13. Thereby, the releasing and receiving length of the upper wire S3 or the lower wire S4 are equal.

With reference to FIGS. 9 and 10, another preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated, wherein only one main wheel surface 14 is used. A predetermined section of the communication wire S is buckled to the buckle 141. Thereby, parts of the upper wire S3 and lower wire S4 are overlapped and wound around the main wheel surface 14. When an outer end of the upper wire S3 (or the lower wire S4) are pulled and released, the pull force disappears. After releasing, the upper wire S3 and lower wire 54 are wound around the main wheel surface 14.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 6, the electric element 70 at the outer ends of the upper wire S3 and lower wire S4 may be one selected from a group containing a plug, a receptacle, an earphone, a microphone, a circuit board, etc.

The present invention is thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the present invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims. 

1. A wire winding device with a turning wheel comprising: a line storage turning wheel having at least one left wheel surface and at least one right wheel surface; a center hole of the turning wheel being movably connected to a axial portion; a curled reed having a bottom end being connected to the axial portion; an outer end thereof being connected to the line storage turning wheel; a communication wire buckled to the line storage turning wheel and thus divided into an upper wire and, a lower wire; the upper wire and lower wire winding around the at least one right wheel surface and the at least one left wheel surface, respectively, along opposite directions; at least one sliding groove formed in a lateral wall of the line storage turning wheel along a periphery of the central hole of the line storage turning wheel; and at least one rolling ball rollably received in the sliding grooves and the rolling balls being buckled and positioning in the sliding grooves and being limited by the axial portion.
 2. The wire winding device with a turning wheel as claimed in claim 1, wherein an end portion of the sliding groove of the line storage turning wheel has a limiting space; an inner diameter of each limiting space is smaller than an outer diameter of the rolling ball; when the rolling ball rolls to the limiting space, a surface of the rolling ball is buckled to be between a surface of an upper groove wall of the limiting space and a surface of the axial portion so as to be as a brake; thereby, the line storage turning wheel is braked.
 3. The wire winding device with a turning wheel as claimed in claim 1, wherein each sliding groove of the line storage turning wheel has a movable space, the outer diameter of each rolling ball is smaller than an inner diameter of the movable space; thereby, the rolling ball is movable in the movable space; the axial portion of the line storage turning wheel is rotatable along the axial portion.
 4. The wire winding device with a turning wheel as claimed in claim 1, wherein the axial portion is protruded from an inner wall of a right casing.
 5. The wire winding device with a turning wheel as claimed in claim 4, wherein a left casing has a connecting hole for receiving the axial portion so as to combine the right casing and a left casing; the right casing is protruded with a pin and the left casing has an insertion hole; lateral sides of the left casing and right casing are formed with respective positioning grooves.
 6. The wire winding device with a turning wheel as claimed in claim 1, wherein an end portions of each of the upper wire and lower wire is connected with a respective electric element; the electric element is one of an earphone, a microphone, a plug, a receptacle, and a circuit board.
 7. The wire winding device with a turning wheel as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one left wheel surface and the at least one right wheel surface of the line storage turning wheel have the same outer diameter (or different diameters).
 8. The wire winding device with a turning wheel as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the at least one left wheel surface and the at least one right wheel surface of the line storage turning wheel is protruded with a respective annular sheet for confining the positions of the upper wire and lower wire.
 9. The wire winding device with a turning wheel comprising: a line storage turning wheel having a main wheel surface; a center hole of the turning wheel being movably connected to a axial portion; a curled reed having a bottom end being connected to the axial portion; an outer end thereof being connected to the line storage turning wheel; a communication wire being buckled to the line storage turning wheel and thus being divided into an upper wire and a lower wire; one ends of the upper wire and lower wire winding around the main wheel surface alternatively; a lateral wall of the line storage turning wheel being formed with at least one sliding groove along a periphery of the central hole thereof; and at least one rolling balls being rollably received in the sliding grooves; the at least one rolling ball being buckled and positioning in the sliding grooves and being limited by the axial portion. 